This invention relates to a device to effectively remove paint from a paint roller and for easily and efficiently removing the roller from the roller handle or holder.
Various devices have been previously disclosed for removing paint from rollers. Some of these are effective but require use of both hands of the person cleaning the roller so that it is difficult to operate the roller cleaner and hold the roller in position to be cleaned at the same time or else a separate device is required to hold the roller handle as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,456 to Dalton. The U.S. patent to Krzanowski, No. 2,761,165 is a device made of wire for use with rollers made of sponge material which would be of limited usefulness with nap type rollers in common use now. U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,631 to Marrs shows another wire type device which would be ineffective with very thick naps. None of these prior devices have provision for removing the roller from the roller handle. The U.S. patent to Meyer, No. 2,961,683 is a tong device for cleaning and removing the paint roller. It is relatively cumbersome and complicated and grips the roller in a squeezing action for removal. Gripping the roller for removal would tend to crush or deform it since it is a hollow, relatively fragile structure. Deformation of the roller core would tend to make it very difficult to slide it off the retaining means of the typical roller handle.
What is needed is a simple durable device applicable to a wide range of naps that is easy to use but will not damage the roller.